President Barack Obama’s new chief of staff is challenging congressional Republicans to spell out how they propose to cut $55 billion from the federal budget. On the CBS program “Face the Nation,” William Daley said the public and the president want to know where those cuts would come from.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell declined repeatedly on “Meet the Press” to say whether Republicans were willing to allow the fiscal showdowns expected in Washington over the next few months – over stopgap budget measures and the borrowing limit – to force a federal shutdown.

House Speaker John Boehner told “Fox News Sunday” he supports spending cuts, but won’t try to force a government default.